GST: Aadhaar verification to be mandatory for new dealers from Jan 2020
Bengaluru, Sep 14: The GST Network on Saturday decided to make Aadhaar authentication or physical verification mandatory for new dealers from January 2020 to check malpractices in Goods and Services Tax.
"Aadhaar authentication of new registered dealers will be mandatory. Earlier it was optional. But we have noticed in two years that large number of fly-by-night operators are registering themselves as GST dealers. They make fake invoices also," Bihar deputy chief minister Sushil Kumar Modi, who heads the group of ministers of GST Network, told reporters.
The GSTN, he said, had decided that from January 1, 2020, all new dealers enrolling will have to have Aadhaar authentication.
Infosys was given the contract to prepare the programming, software, among others, he added.
Modi said those who do not want to give their Aadhaar numbers would have to undergo physical verification.
"In both cases, GST number will be given within three working days of Aadhaar authentication and physical verification," Modi added.
In the first phase, Aadhaar authentication will be mandatory for new dealers. Afterwards, all those enrolled on GSTN would be asked to provide their Aadhaar numbers.
As refunding was a big issue, especially in the last 30 months after the launch of GST, they had decided on completely going online for it from September 24 this year from a single source, either by the Central GST or state GST, Modi said.
He said most of the processes done manually lacked transparancy and took a longer time.
"After the online process, dealers will get payment from the Public Finance Management System," Modi said.
Exporters did not suffer much as their payments were through IGST and they got refunds within six to seven days.
Till date Rs 93,416 crore were refunded to them, he said.
The GSTN also recommended launch of the much simplified new return system from January 1, 2020, as the earlier one was a bit complicated, Modi said.
It (new return), in three formats of Sahaj, Sugam and Normal, would be rolled out in one go for all types of taxpayers put together, he said, adding that the annual return date has also been extended to November 30, 2019.
Sushil Kumar Modi said that among the 92.58 lakh registered dealers, only 64.17 lakh were entitled to file their returns as they had submitted the 3B and GSTR-1 forms.
Of the 64.17 lakh, only 21.35 lakh had filed their returns, which worked out to 33 per cent.
"The GST council has to take a call on what to do with these non-filers as their numbers are very low," he said.
"We are getting a number of suggestions to simplify the return filing process. So the GST council will decide how to simplify the return filing system," Modi said.
He said those not filing their returns for two months would have their E-Way bills blocked, starting from November 1 this year.
"We have noticed that 27.22 lakh dealers have not filed their returns of June and July and their E-Way bill can be blocked. Among them, about 5.20 lakh dealers are still using E-Way bills," Modi said.
"We are giving them a chance and I will give an example of Karnataka, where 1.75 lakh are bound to be blocked.
Among them, 35,033 dealers were found using E-Way bills every month actively. So alerts were sent to these dealers, he added.
Modi said the GST Council meeting scheduled in Goa on September 20 would see members of the 15th Finance Commission attend it.
Asked whether GST would look into rationalisation of taxes for a particular sector like the automobile sector, he said the agenda has not yet been circulated.
He, however,opined that no state would be ready to give any kind of concession to this sector or any others.
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AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
